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VanGorder is Notre Dame's defensive coordinator

Published on NewsOK
Modified: January 13, 2014 at 4:38 pm •
Published: January 13, 2014

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Veteran NFL and college coach Brian VanGorder was officially hired as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame on Monday after spending the past season as linebacker coach for the New York Jets.

VanGorder was an assistant under Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State from 1989-91 and won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach at Georgia in 2003. He has previously served as head coach at Georgia Southern and Wayne State, his alma mater.

VanGorder replaces Bob Diaco, who left after four seasons at Notre Dame to become head coach at Connecticut. VanGorder takes over a defense that struggled at times in 2013, finishing 31st in the nation in total defense and 27th in scoring defense. A season earlier, the Fighting Irish, led by Manti Te'o, finished seventh in the nation in total defense and second in scoring defense in leading Notre Dame to the national championship game against Alabama.

VanGorder gained acclaim as defensive coordinator at Georgia from 2001-2004. He was a little known assistant when he was hired by Georgia coach Mark Richt in 2001, but a season later he was a finalist for the Broyles Award in 2002 when the Bulldogs ranked fourth in the nation in scoring defense at 15.14 points a game and 15th in total defense at 303.5 yards a game.

The Bulldogs were even better the next season when he won the award despite the Bulldogs losing four players to the NFL and then four more starters to season-ending injuries, ranking third in the nation in points allowed, fourth in total yards and sixth in pass defense.